


just maybe

by gsales



Series: tumblr prompts - percabeth [5]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Rachel Elizabeth Dare & Annabeth Chase Friendship, Tumblr Prompt, maybe coming of age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29041869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gsales/pseuds/gsales
Summary: He wasn’t popular. He wasn’t particularly smart, either. He was on the swim team and well known for his sarcastic comments, and really, he wasn’t Annabeth’s type.But, most importantly, he was on Annabeth’s Algebra class. And there was something about him that made her develop a huge crush on him this past year. Maybe it was the way he furrowed his eyebrows whenever he didn’t know how to proceed in some equation. Or maybe it was the fact that he actually hated Maths, but was trying his best because he wanted to make his mother proud and go to a good college. It could even be the way he asked about her and actually bothered listening, remembering details about what she told him after.Either way, he wasn’t her type. But she had a huge crush on him, and less than zero courage to do something about that.orannabeth has a huge crush on percy. she doesn't do anything about it because she's scared of getting hurt. but maybe she just has to risk it
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Series: tumblr prompts - percabeth [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119701
Comments: 1
Kudos: 49





	just maybe

**Author's Note:**

> hello  
> don't mind me, just posting another prompt  
> i don't like this very much to be honest  
> idk, i guess i just had too many feelings to spill out
> 
> either way, here it is
> 
> ~gabi

_**prompt:** pretend to be my date_ | percabeth

Annabeth knew from the beginning she shouldn’t have agreed with Rachel’s idea of going to that party. First of all, she didn’t even like parties all that much. Second, she needed to study. And, finally, she didn’t need any more social anxiety than she already had to deal on a daily basis.

Still... Well, there she was. Standing in the living room of someone that she didn’t even know who it was, dressed in high-waisted jeans skirts and a vintage blouse, holding a cup of some unfamiliar drink on her hand.

Rachel had been way too efficient in finding someone she was interest in flirting with and sat on a couch near her, talking to some guy that, Annabeth suspected, was in her Arts class. She had no ideia how her friend could act so easily and naturally about her interests and start a flirtatious conversation with such little effort. She acted assertively, all confident smiles and charming comments, knowing exactly when to lean over or risk touching the guy. It was amusing watching her do this so perfectly and yet in such a carefree way. She thought she would never be able to do it herself. Annabeth had too many issues with acceptance, attraction and sexuality for that. With attraction, usually came stuttering and agitated posture and doubts, for her. At least until she found trust and comfort, and by then it was mostly either too late or too much for the other person to handle.

Annabeth caught herself staring at Rachel and her soon-to-be-date, blushing. She should probably leave and let them be, find something else to do or someone else to talk. 

The minute she turned around to walk away, she regretted. The heat rose on her cheeks and she all but froze when she saw him coming her way. _Percy Jackson_.

He wasn’t popular. He wasn’t particularly smart, either. He was on the swim team and well known for his sarcastic comments, and really, he wasn’t Annabeth’s type.

But, most importantly, he was on Annabeth’s Algebra class. And there was something about him that made her develop a huge crush on him this past year. Maybe it was the way he furrowed his eyebrows whenever he didn’t know how to proceed in some equation. Or maybe it was the fact that he actually hated Maths, but was trying his best because he wanted to make his mother proud and go to a good college. It could even be the way he asked about her and actually bothered listening, remembering details about what she told him after. 

Either way, he wasn’t her type. But she had a huge crush on him, and less than zero courage to do something about that. She knew too little about him to let herself risk it.

So, when she saw him coming on her direction, she panicked. And turned around. And literally pulled Rachel out of the sofa, intertwining their fingers and pulling her body closer.

“Hey! What?”

Her friend looked at her, completely confused.

“ _Pretend to be my date_ ,” she whispered quickly, just before Percy reached them with a big smile.

“Annabeth!” He greeted. “I- I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Hi, Percy,” she tried keeping her voice steady. “Yeah, it’s not really my scene. Rachel here made me come,” she nudged her friend slightly with her elbow.

“Oh, I see,” he said. “It’s not really like me, either. My friends convinced me to come, too.”

“Oh. Right,” she noticed him looking at Rachel quickly. “By the way, Rachel, this is Percy, from my Algebra class. Percy, this is Rachel, my- uh... “ 

She trailed off and noticed his eyes finally seeing her hand intertwined with Rachel’s. She saw Rachel’s confused look increase too (she had told her about Percy), but she was a good actress.

Percy’s cheeks were red and his smile weakened... Was that disappointment on his face?

He cleared his throat and offered his hand to Rachel. “Uh, hi, Rachel. Nice meeting you.”

The three of them talked for a while, mostly light subjects such as school and senior year and music or TV series they liked. She enjoyed how easily conversation flowed with Percy. He was a good listener, but also always had something funny or interesting to say. He made her comfortable, and, for once, she didn’t feel like borrowing Rachel’s social abilities. Hers were enough. 

Too soon, Percy said he should go and find his friends, walking away with a “see you later” and a nice smile. There was something weird about his behavior, as if he was disappointed and didn’t get what he wanted somehow. Maybe he was interested in Rachel?

Her friend interrupted her line of thought by lifting their hands and staring at her. “What was that all about?”

Annabeth blushed furiously and let go of her friends hand, looking at the ground. “I just…”

“Annabeth, isn’t that the guy you’re like secretly in love with?” 

“I'm not _in love_ with him. I just have a crush on him.”

“Okay, then why did you want me to pretend I was your date?” Rachel’s question was sincere, but Annabeth couldn’t answer.

She didn’t know why. Maybe she’d panicked. Maybe she was too uncomfortable with the whole party situation that made the possibility of her and Percy getting together an actual possibility, as well as the option of him rejecting her. Maybe she was just too tired of getting involved with guys and only finding out they were homophobic way after it was too late for it not to be too personal, not to hurt too much. Maybe she was afraid of getting hurt.

“I don’t know,” she muttered.

Rachel was silent for a minute, the boy she’d been flirting with before long forgotten. Suddenly, she took Annabeth’s arm and spoke again. “C’mon, let’s get some air.”

With that, they went outside, in silence, the loud music ringing in their ears. 

They sat on a bench on the yard before Rachel finally said something again. “What happened in there?” 

Annabeth stared at her hands in her lap. “I don’t know, Rach. I guess I panicked. I just- I really like him, you know? And I’m so scared, I don’t want to get hurt again.” 

She felt tears starting to form in her eyes and looked up, blinking, making them go away.

“Shit,” Rachel took her hand, trying to offer some kind of comfort. “That’s about you being bi, isn’t it?”

Annabeth shook her head, slowly. “I guess it is, in some way. Unconsciously, maybe. I guess I’m just worried he’s not what it seems like. I just can’t handle finding out the hard way again.”

Rachel took her in in a comfortable hug for a few moments. When she spoke again, her voice was incredibly soft and her gaze was sincere and intense, directly into Annabeth’s eyes.

“Hey. I know you’re scared. And I know it hurts and it’s not fair that you’ve been through all that and still has to worry about this. But I love you. And it’s gonna be alright. I’m here for you.”

They hugged again, and Annabeth expected that her physical demonstration was enough to express her gratitude and affection. When they pulled apart again, Rachel’s tone was a bit more playful and serious at the same time. 

“But… I have to say. You’re never going to find someone good enough to love you if you’re not ready to try. And sometimes you have to risk it.” 

Annabeth nodded and they got up, walking slowly back towards the house. What wasn’t her surprise when she saw Percy coming right out. 

Rachel rose an eyebrow and whispered. “Well, here comes your chance.” She walked away and went back into the house, leaving Annabeth alone to reach Percy the moment he stepped in the grass. 

“Hi,” she said.

“Oh. Hey,” he offered her a smile, then they fell into and uncomfortable silence for a while.

“Can we- uh, talk?”

She pointed to the bench she’d been sitting with Rachel and he nodded, before walking with her and sitting down. 

Before she could speak, he did. “I'm sorry if I was a little weird earlier, I didn’t mean to. I just- I didn’t know you had a girlfriend, so I was a little surprised. But please don’t think I’m like-“

“I don’t,” she interrupted him, and he stared at her, brows furrowed and confused look. “Have a girlfriend, I mean. Or a date. Rachel… She’s only my friend.”

“Oh. I thought-“

“Yeah, I know. I guess made you think that. I’m sorry.”

“But why?” His eyes were agitated. He was confused and somewhat hurt.

She took a deep breath before answering. “I’m bi. I didn’t know if you knew it. And I- I like you. And I panicked.”

He stared at her with his mouth opened. “You like me?” He finally said.

“Um- yeah,” she could feel herself blushing. “I do. A lot.”

A smile began to form on his lips and he leaned closer to her, bringing a hand to the side of her neck.

“So you’re okay with it?”

His eyebrows came together again. “With what?”

“That, um. That I’m bi.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Annabeth shrugged and looked away, but he lifted her chin with his finger and made her look at him again.

“Annabeth. I don’t care. And I’m more than okay, if it means I can kiss you,” he whispered.

And when they finally brought their lips together, and Annabeth thought to herself that she had to stop accepting the unacceptable from people (because really, him being okay was just the absolute minimum), she realized that maybe, _just maybe_ , coming to the party hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr: @hellpotter


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